The Montreal Canadiens just made the playoffs for the first time since 2021, and now look to make a run in the 2026 NHL playoffs. Lane Hutson is coming off winning the Calder Trophy as the best rookie in the NHL. He is scheduled to become a restricted free agent next summer. Now contract talks have stalled, according to Emily Kaplan of ESPN.
“The NHL salary landscape is changing fast. Hearing Lane Hutson was willing to take an 8 year deal slightly less than Noah Dobson’s $9.5 million AAV but it didn’t get done on the Canadiens end. That was before the market reset with Luke Hughes and Jackson LaCombe deals last week,” Kaplan posts on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Hutson was originally willing to accept an eight-year deal, just below $9.5 million. That is the current cost for the Dobson contract. Hutson will turn 22 years old during this upcoming season, making the Hughes contract a solid comp. Hughes just turned 22 years old and signed a seven-year deal. That deal is paying $9 million per season.
Cost of a Lane Huston contract
While Hughes just got $9.5 million per year, LaCombe also just signed a new contract extension. He will turn 25 years old this season, and the new contract kicks in for the 2026-27 season. That deal is for eight years and is worth $9 million per year as well.
Hughes and LaCombe have each completed two full seasons in the NHL. Hughes has scored 91 points in the two full seasons and has been a top-four defender. LaCombe scored just 17 points in 2023-24, but then amassed 43 points in 2024-25, while also being a top rotation defender.
Meanwhile, Hutson has completed just one full season in the NHL. While he played two games in 2023-24, putting up two assists, he was dominant in 2024-25. He played in all 82 games, finding the back of the net six times while adding 60 helpers. Further, his defensive statistics show he is a top rotation defender in the NHL.
While Hutson was previously willing to accept a contract less than the $9.5 million of Dobson has, that price just went up. If the Canadiens want to extend the defenseman on a long-term contract, it could cost over $10 million per year now. Regardless, this is well worth it for a top-level defender who can also be a massive offensive threat for the team.
